Korvac
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Korvac | |
 The Avengers face Korvac on the cover of Avengers #175 (vol. 1, Sept. 1978). Art by Dave Cockrum and Terry Austin. |
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| Publication information | |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Giant-Size Defenders #3 (Jan. 1975) |
| Created by | Steve Gerber, Jim Starlin |
| In story information | |
| Alter ego | Michael Korvac |
| Team affiliations | Brotherhood of Badoon, leader of the Minions of Menace |
| Notable aliases | The Enemy, Jaboa Murphy |
| Abilities | Wielder of the Power Cosmic |
Michael Korvac (also called Korvac) is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Giant-Size Defenders #3 (Jan. 1975) and was created by Steve Gerber.
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[edit] Publication history
Korvac first appears in Giant-Size Defenders #3 (1975) as a pawn of the cosmic entity the Grandmaster. According to Gerber:
| “ | The character really was a throwaway, created for one story. And I never intended to bring him back, because, among other things, I hated the name! I still think it sounds more like a vacuum cleaner than a villain. [1] | ” |
While the story maintains that it is in fact the 31st century, it is established years later that it is fact the future of the alternate dimension Earth-691. [2]
In 1977, Korvac reappears in Thor Annual #6, written by Roger Stern and art by Sal Buscema. This story acts as a prelude to the "Korvac Saga", which was published in Avengers #167 - 177 (vol. 1, Jan. - Nov 1978). The story arc was written by Jim Shooter and David Michelinie, with art by George Pérez and David Wenzel.
In 1987, Korvac made a brief reappearance in Avengers Annual #16 as one of the Grandmaster's Legion of the Unliving.
In 1991, when the Korvac Saga was first collected into trade paperback format, a new epilogue was added. The epilogue showed the Avengers at Korvac's grave, declaring that even if Korvac's intentions had been good, the resulting universal order under his control would have been tyrannical. This epilogue was written by Mark Gruenwald and drawn by Tom Morgan to make the story's ending less ambiguous. When the trade paperback was reprinted in 2003 - as Avengers Legends Volume 2: The Korvac Saga - editor Tom Brevoort had the epilogue removed as it was deemed unnecessary.
In 1991, a storyline featuring Korvac's power ran through Fantastic Four Annual #24; Thor Annual #16; Silver Surfer Annual #4 and Guardians of the Galaxy Annual #1. The power discarded by Korvac on his death inhabits his father, Jordan, who is then killed in battle with the Guardians.
In 1998, Korvac also appeared in a storyline in Captain America #18 (vol. 3, Jun). While the story is set in the present, it may have occurred for Korvac prior to the events of Avengers #167 - 177 (vol. 1, Jan. - Nov. 1978).
There were also two appearances that are not part of regular Marvel continuity. In 1982 Korvac featured in What If? #32 (vol. 1, Apr. 1982) which outlined what would have happened to the universe had Korvac been successful. In 1992, What If? #36 (vol. 1, Apr.) featured Korvac arriving in a different timeline and eventually battling the Cosmic Avengers in the year 2130.
[edit] Fictional character biography
Michael Korvac was a computer technician born on the Blue Area of the Moon of an alternate Earth in the year 2997. Due to events surrounding his birth, Michael's father was killed and he was raised by his mother to have a hateful and vengeful attitude. When the Sol System and its colonies were conquered by the alien Brotherhood of Badoon, Korvac became a collaborator and traitor to the human race. Caught asleep at a machine while working, the Badoon grafted Korvac's upper body to a machine, effectively making him a cyborg.
Korvac is then transported through time by the game-playing Grandmaster, who utilizes him as a pawn in battling the hero Doctor Strange and the Defenders. [3] Korvac deliberately loses the fight, so as to be able to discretely scan and analyze the Grandmaster's cosmic power. [4] Gaining several new abilities from this analysis, Korvac then kills his Badoon masters and plans to conquer the cosmos. Korvac recruits a group of aliens called the Minions of Menace and attempts to cause Earth's sun to go nova, but is defeated by the Guardians of the Galaxy and the time-traveling Thunder God Thor. [5] Soon after this defeat Korvac flees across time and space to the Earth-616 mainstream Marvel universe. Upon arrival, Korvac discovers the space station of the cosmic entity Galactus. Attempting to download the knowledge of Galactus from the station into his own system, Korvac is imbued with the Power Cosmic and becomes a god-like being. Korvac then recreates himself as a perfect humanoid form, and posing as a human called Michael, travels to Earth with the intent of reshaping it into a utopia. [6]
Korvac is pursued by the team the Guardians of the Galaxy, who join forces with the superhero team the Avengers in a bid to stop Korvac. Guardian member Starhawk finds Korvac and battles him in secret. Korvac, however, disintegrates Starhawk and then recreates him, but removes from the hero the ability to perceive Korvac in any way so as to avoid future detection. [7] The Elder of the Universe known as the Collector foresees the coming of two beings that would be capable of challenging the Elders (Korvac and Titan Thanos), and remakes his own daughter Carina into a being of incredible power to use as a weapon against them. Although Carina does meet Korvac, the two fall in love and she begins to sympathize with him. The Collector himself is defeated by the Avengers after a failed bid to "collect" and protect them from Korvac, who upon discovering the Collector's plot disintegrates the Elder. [8]
The hero Iron Man eventually tracks Korvac to a residential neighborhood in Forest Hills Gardens, in Queens, New York. The entire Avengers roster, with the heroine Ms. Marvel and the Guardians of the Galaxy confront Korvac and Carina, who pose as a middle class couple. Korvac's deception is revealed when Starhawk states he cannot see the man called "Michael". Realizing that he has been discovered, and that cosmic entities such as Odin and the Watcher are now aware of his existence, Korvac is forced into battle.
Korvac slays wave after wave of heroes, and is finally caught off guard and weakened by Captain America and then Wonder Man. Although able to kill the heroes, Korvac is weakened further by the combined efforts of Starhawk, Iron Man, the Vision and Thor. Sensing that Carina now doubts him, Korvac commits suicide through an act of will. An angered Carina then attacks the surviving heroes, and is finally slain by Thor. The entire battle is watched by part-time Avenger Moondragon, who realizes that Korvac only wanted to help mankind, with his dying act being to restore the Avengers and Guardians to life. [9]
Years later it is revealed that Korvac discarded his power when near death after sensing that Galactus had activated the weapon the Ultimate Nullifier in retaliation for his previous intrusion. Korvac's power eventually inhabits his father, Jordan, who is then killed in battle with the Guardians. This is the catalyst that drives Korvac as an adult to hate the Guardians. [10]
Korvac is later briefly resurrected in human form by the Grandmaster to battle the Silver Surfer.[11] Korvac, in his cyborg form, also battles Captain America and the villain the Red Skull in the 31st century. Korvac is scattered across six dimensions by the Red Skull, who is in possession of a Cosmic Cube. [12]
[edit] Powers and abilities
Korvac was originally a normal man until the Badoon amputated the lower half of his body, and grafted his upper body and nervous system onto a specialized computer module capable of siphoning energy from virtually any source. Korvac's mechanical module could also tap and synthesize any form of energy and concealed advanced weaponry. After downloading information from Galactus' ship and acquiring the Power Cosmic, Korvac was capable of many feats on par with other cosmic entities, such as matter alteration; energy projection; teleportation and manipulation of time and space. In his perfect human form, Korvac retained all his cosmic abilities and could use these to achieve virtually any effect.
Michael Korvac was a brilliant computer scientist, a master combat strategist, and a formidable hand-to-hand combatant.
[edit] References
- ^ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/howard_the_duck/message/3389 - members only; accessed 11 October 2006
- ^ The Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe: Alternate Worlds 2005
- ^ Giant-Size Defenders #3 (1975)
- ^ Seen in flashback in Thor Annual #6 (1977)
- ^ Thor Annual #6 (1977)
- ^ Seen in flashback in Avengers #175 (vol. 1, Sep. 1978)
- ^ Avengers #168 (vol. 1, Feb. 1978)
- ^ Avengers #168 - 175 (vol. 1, Feb. - Sep. 1978)
- ^ Avengers #176 - 177 (vol. 1, Oct. - Nov. 1978)
- ^ Fantastic Four Annual #24; Thor Annual #16; Silver Surfer Annual #4 and Guardians of the Galaxy Annual #1 (all 1991).
- ^ Avengers Annual #16 (1987)
- ^ Captain America #18 (vol. 3, Jun. 1998)
[edit] External links
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